Wednesday, August 15, 2012

IPOH: A 4-YEAR-OLD girl suspected of being a victim of abuse died at the Klinik 1Malaysia in Kampung Tawas here on Tuesday.

J. Pavitra, who suffered serious bruises and injuries to her body, was
taken to the clinic by her mother at 5pm. She was pronounced dead on
arrival.

Suspecting something amiss, the clinic's staff lodged a police report
that same day and the girl's body was taken to the Raja Permaisuri
Bainun Hospital at 7pm for a post-mortem.

A police source said the post-mortem yesterday showed that the girl
died from internal bleeding, consistent with physical abuse.

"There are also traces of old injuries and new ones covering most of
the victim's body. We are investigating whether the victim had been
beaten, trampled on or kicked by her abuser.

"The case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code (for murder)," said the source.

Police had picked up a relative of the victim, a 33-year-old woman.

District police chief Assistant Commissioner Aziman Alias the woman's statement had been recorded.

Police are searching for the woman's boyfriend, who had disappeared after the girl's death.

The victim's grandmother, L. Vijaya, 50, said Pavitra was the youngest of four siblings.

"Her two brothers, aged 15 and 13, are living in an orphanage in
Taiping after their father died two years ago. Her other brother, aged
6, had been living with one of the father's relatives," she said at the
mortuary.

Vijaya said Pavitra's mother claimed that the girl had fallen from the bed prior to her death.

She said Pavitra and her mother had lived with her in a house in
Menglembu. However, about a month ago, they moved to Kampung Tawas.